Clock-movement.



J. LEMIRE.

CLOCK MOVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10.1913.

1 1 59,508. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

A J m 4 Q m 6 V I i a4 JOSEPH LEMIRE, OF DRUMMONDVILLE, QUEBEC, CANADA.

CLOCK-MOVEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov; 9, 1915.

Application filed December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,812.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrn Lmrnzn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the Yillage of Drummondville, in the Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clock-Movements, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention relates to improvements in clock movements as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

The iilx'GIltiOll consists essentially in the novel means employed in maintaining the impetus necessary to the continuous swinging' motion of the pendulum.

The objects of the invention are to devise a clock movement which will have the advantages of the pendulum movement without its disadvantages, to apply a mechanism in which the movement will not vary, and thereby have a clock that will accurately show the time, and generally to provide a simple regulated power particularly applicable to clocks, though useful for many other purposes.

In the dra "ings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the electric attachment showing the pen dulum assembled therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective detail of the operating parts of the make and break mechanism. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the principal operating parts.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 are the electro1na 'nets formed of the coils 2 and cores 3 mounted on the metal base -l at the upper portion thereof.

is the armature coacting with the coils 2 and cores 3 and pivotally sceured in the lug t3 rigidly secured to the base 4, said armature having the pad 7 of soft rubber or any suitable material on the upper side thereof to avoid noise.

8 is a dog pivotally secured to the armature and hanging downwardly, said dog having the lugs 9 extending laterally therefrom on one side and the lug 10 from the lowermost corner on the opposite side.

11 is a pin inserted through the lugs 9 and projecting below the lug 10 at the opposite side of the dog and automatically adjustable in said lugs.

12 is a bracket rigidly secured to the base 4: below the electro-magnets 1 and extending downwardly and having the lug 13 projecting outwardly from the lower end thereof and the arm 1% extending laterally there from parallel to the armature 5, said arm having the ear 15.

16 is an arm corresponding to the arm 14 and having an ear 17 corresponding to the ear 15, said arm 16 being rigidly secured to the lug 13.

18 is a spring contact secured to and insulated from the lug l3 and extending laterally therefrom and in electric connection with the wire leading to the magnet coil 2.

19 is a pivotally suspended contact having a notch 20 adjacent to the lower end thereof adapted to engage the nonconducting end of the armature 5 and support said armature independently of the electro-magnets, said contact sloping downwardly from said notch to the rest 21 -for the armature 5 in its lowermost position. I

22 is a spring contact extending upwardly from and secured to the lug l3 and insulated therefrom, said contact 22 coacting with the contact 19.

23 is a bracket rigidly secured to the lug 13 and insulated therefrom and carrying at its upper end the terminal 5%, the latter being insulated from said bracket.

21 is a spring contact normally connected with the contact 22 and extending laterally from the lug l3 and insulated therefrom and immediately above the contact 18, thus the connection of the contacts 18 and 2% will electrically connect the contact 18 with the suspended contact 19 when the latter is in contact with the contact 22.

25 is a dog at one end pivotally secured to the arm 16 by means of the lug 26 and having on the upper side the rising shoulder 27.

29 is a pin extending and insulated from the dog 25 and normally resting on the contact 24. so that when pressure is brought to bear on the dog the contact 24': is brought into coaction with the contact 18.

30 is a pendulum of a peculiar type made of wood, hard rubber or other suitable material having the shaft 31 from one end of having nothing to do with the electrical taneous which the section .32 is suspended and from the other end the section 33 is projected upwardly the latter having the weight 34 at the extremity of said upper section. The fixed'weight 35 is adjacent to the lower end and the adjustable weight 36 at the eX tremity of the lower end of said lower section. The shaft has a central upper'recess 37 spanned by an inverted U-shaped bar 38 adapted to engage and be engaged by the dog 8, and the circumferential grooves 39, the beds of which engage the arms 14 and 1 6. The material of this shaft is preferably of wood as it will withstand the changes in temperature very much better than other materials. The adjustment of the weight 36 will secure the usual pendulum eflect, swinging backward and forward.

40 is the escapement wheel of the clock movement engaged by the pawls 41and 42, the former 41 being pivotally secured to the free end of the dog 25 and pushing said wheel around to the extent of one tooth on each downward movement of the dog and the latter dog 42 being pivoted to the arm 16 and holding said wheel during the operation of the pawl 41' as customary. The-function of the pawl 42 is simply that of a retaining member loosely pivoted from said arm 16 to prevent any possibility of drag on the wheels 40 by the operating pawl 41, said pawl 42 features beyond supporting the contact 42 which is insulated from said pawl.

43 is the electric battery, though any suitable source of electric current may be used, however for clearness of description a battery is shown, said battery being connected to theelectro-magnets 1 by the wires 45 and base 4 by the wire 46, said connection to the magnets being established by the engagement of the contact 24 with the contact 18 and the contact 19 with the contact 22.

The wire 44 leads from the battery 43 to the contact 42 and to the terminal 54 and is for the purpose of establishing instanconnections in rapid sequence through the base, not including the electromagnets, first at the moment ofengagement of the contact 19 with the contact 22 and afterward at the moment of connection of contacts 24, 18 and 42 These short connections are broken immediately on the further movement of the contacts 19 and 22 and the contacts 24 and 18 respectively.

In the operation of this invention the pendulum is started in its swinging movement by hand with suflicient of a swing to cause the shaft 31 to roll on the arms 14 and 16 on the track between the lugs standing upwardly from said arms, and rolling in one direction the shaft comes in contact with the shoulder 27 and the dog 25, and as the dog 25 is pivoted and normally held in its upper position by the spring contact 24, the weight of the rolling shaftmounted on said shoulder will press said dog downwardly with the result that the pawl 41 moves the escapement wheel 40 and the contact 24 meets the contact 18.

On the meeting of the contacts 18 and 24,

the electric circuit, which includes the electromagnets, is closed. This circuit is energized by the battery 43, the wire 46 from one pole of said battery leading to and connecting with the base through the binding post 50, another wire 45 from the opposite pole leading to the coils of the electromagnet through the binding post 51, a wire leading from said coils to the binding post 52, a wire 53 from the said post 52 to the contact 18, throughsaid contact 18 to the contact 24, through said contact 24 tothe contact 22, and through said contact 22 to'the swinging contact 19, from there to the base, thus completing the electrical circuit energized by said battery.

The result of closing the circuit is the lifting of the armature to its upper position and the'consequent return ofthe swinging contact piece 19 to its earlier position. The

piece19 is impelled by the spring contact 22 until the upper notch or step 1n said contact is under the end of the armature and as soon as the circuit is broken the weight of the armature holds the contact 19 from swinging back to the contact 22. The circuit is closed for such. a brief period, that the piece 19 has not time to fall away before the armature has dropped on to the upper step. The electrical circuit is then open, the armatureremaining in its upper position. ously, and at each swing in one direction brings the contacts 18 and 24 together, but this does not close the circuit, not until the contact 19 meets the contact 22. The diminishing swings of the pendulum still keep the pendulum rolling and in the earlier swings the U-shaped bar comes in contact with the lug 10 on the one side and the pin 11 on the other, and throws the dog out of the way each time, but as the swings become less, the said U-shaped bar is trapped between the pin 11 and lug 10, and this has the effect of bodily lifting the armature 5, and

thereby releasing the swinging contact 19,

with the result that the said armature drops by its own weight at its free end. The dog 8 then engages the U-shaped bar and rocks the pendulum shaft, so that the said pendulum shaft is given an impetus sufiicientto mount the shoulder 27 and press downwardly the dog 25 and also the contact 24. The first action after lifting the armature 5, following the release of the swinging contact 19, is the engagement of said contact with the contact 22, this contact 22 is nor- The pendulum. swings cont1nu= mally in contact with the terminal 54, the latter on a bracket 23 and insulated therefrom.

As already explained the terminal 5% is at one end of the wire 44 and the wire 44 leads from one pole of the battery while the wire l6 leads from the other pole, therefore, the moment the contact 19 engages the contact there is an electric connection for an instant only, from one pole of the battery to the other through the base only. This connection is broken at once by the movement of the contact 22 away from the terminal 5% and then the second action occurs following the rolling of the pendulum shaft onto the shoulder 27.

The insulated pin 29 is always in engagement with the contact 24: and as this insulated pin extends from the dog the pressure on said dog moves the contact 2% downwardly past the contact se into engagement with the contact 18, but as the latter has been normally in engagement with he con tact 42 at the moment of meeting of the contacts 18 and 24 there is a connection for an instant from one pole of the battery to the other through the base similar to the aforesaid momentary connection, only in this case it is made by a triple connection of the contact 18, 2% and 42. The further downward movement of the insulated pin 29 moves the contact 18 away from the contact l2 and brings the working electric circuit of the clock into existence and this circuit is from one pole of the battery by the wire 45 through the binding post 51 to the bind ing post 52, including the electromagnets through the wire 53, contact 18, contact 24, contact 22 and contact 19, through the base to the binding post 50 and wire as to the other pole of the battery, thus cutting out the wire 44 which is only intended for instantaneous connections to preserve the points of Contact.

The closing of the regulator circuit to energize the electro-magnet is also a brief connection occurring at regular intervals, so that said pendulum is kept constantly swinging as long as there is sufficient power in the battery or other source of electric current to energize the coils of the electro-magnet.

The swinging of the pendulum is like many pendulums of similar make, of course, if it swings one way it will swing the other on account of the weights Unough the swing is maintained by the regular dropping of the armature, and while this electric instru ment in one of its parts is practically the cause of the automatic continuous swinging of the pendulum, the operation of that instrument does not cause the impetus for that part of it is purely mechanical. Also it may be mentioned that this overcomes the faults of known forms of electric clocks, which are affected by the strength or weakness of the electric current supplied and therefore subject to variation through the changes in the strength of an electric battery or other source of supply.

Briefly the operation of this clock is as follows z-The pendulum is swung by hand so that the armature is not affected by the passage of the Ushaped bar 38 to and fro and it is not until the pendulum slows down that the said bar 8 is trapped between the pin 11 and lug 10, then the armature is lifted slightly, which releases the swinging contact piece 19 and as explained hereinbefore the armature, which is comparatively heavy drops and through the dog 8 and U-bar 38 rolls the shaft 31 giving the necessary impetus to swing the pendulum, the latter maintaining the roll of the shaft for a few swings until the next push of the armature, dog and bar. Meanwhile the armature has been picked up by the closing of the electric circuit as fully set forth hereinbefore.

The downward movement of the pawl +21, through the pressure on the arm 27 by the shaft 31 in the course of its roll connects the pendulum operatively with the clock work and insures a regularity which cannot be attained by springs or weights, as the motive power never varies.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a clock movement, an escapcment mechanism, a rotating member operatively connected with said escapement mechanism, and an electromagnet momentarily energized from a suitable source of electric current at intervals at the end of an extreme movement of said member and a weighted pivoted armature dropping and imparting an im petus to said member at intervals determined by cach slowing down of said member.

2. In a clock movement, an escapement mechanism, a swinging member operatively connected to said escapement, and an electromagnet momentarily energized from a suitable source of electric current at intervals at the end of an extreme movement of said member and a weighted pivoted armature dropping and imparting an impetus to said member at intervals determined by each slowing down of said member.

3. In a clock movement, an escapement mechanism, an electric circuit suitably energized and having make and break contacts, a pendulum coacting with said make and break contacts, electro-magnets, in said circuit momentarily energized at the end of an extreme swing of said pendulum. a weighted pivoted armature dropping at intervals at the end of an extreme swing of a pendulum determined by each slowing down of said pendulum, and a dog pivotally suspended from said armature and imparting an impetus to said pendulum at each drop of the armature.

4. In a clock movement, an escapement mechanism, an electric circuit suitably energized and having make and break contacts, a pendulum coacting with said make and break contacts, a dog engaging said pendulum as it begins to slow down, and an electromagnet in said circuit momentarily energized at the end of an extreme swing of said pendulum and a weighted pivoted armature dropping at intervals determined by the slowing down of said pendulum and mechanically released by said dog immediately preceding each drop.

5. In a clock movement, an escapement mechanism, an electric circuit suitably energized and having normally a plurality of breaks therein arranged, a plurality of electric contacts adapted to join said breaks, a pivoted catch, an electro-magnet included in said circuit and momentarily energized at intervals and a weighted pivoted armature thereunder dropping at intervals alternating with the aforesaid intervals and mechanically released from its upper position in said catch, a pendulum operatively connected with said escapement, a dog imparting an impetus to said pendulum and itself operated coincidently with the fall of said armature, the latter closing a contact in its fall and said pendulum closing another contact and completing thecircuit for the rise of said armature.

6. In a clock movement, a base, electromagnets momentarily energized at intervals from a source of current and mounted on said base and a weighted coacting armature pivoted thereunder and dropping at intervals alternating with the energization of said magnet, a dog pivotally suspended from said armature and mechanically releasing said armature immediately preceding the drop of the latter, a pendulum engaged by said dog 011 the drop of said armature, electric connections from a source of electric current to said magnets, said connections being energized at the extremity of the swing of said pendulum, and an escapement mechanism operated by said swing.

7. In a clock movement, a base, electromagnets momentarily energized from a source of electric current at intervals determined by the clock mechanism and mounted on said base and a weighted coacting armature pivoted thereunder and dropping at intervals alternating with the aforesaid intervals, a dog pivotally suspended from said armature and having a lug at the lower end at one side and an adjustable pin at the other side, a pendulum supported from a rolling shaft, the latter being engaged by said dog at each drop of said armature, said dog mechanically releasing said armature at each slowing down of said pendulum by the engagement of said dog from said shaft between said pin and lug, electric connections from said source of electric current to said magnet closed momentarily at each extreme swing of said pendulum, and an escapement mechanism operated by the swing of said pendulum.

8. In a clock movement, a base, electromagnets mounted on said base and a coacting armature pivoted thereunder, a bracket secured to said base having laterally extending arms forming a track, a pendulum swinging from a shaft rolling on said tracks, said shaft having an inverted U-shaped bar on the upper side thereof, a dodger pivoted to said armature and intermittently bearing on said U-shaped bar, electric means for energizing said magnets and picking up said armature and dodger, and an escapement mechanism'operated by said pendulum.

9. In a'clock movement, a base, electromagnets mounted on said base and a coacting pivoted armature thereunder, a suspended pivoted contact adjacent to said magnets having a notch adjacent to the lower end and a rest at the lower end for said armature and a sloping edge face between said notch and rest, a bracket secured to said base, a spring contact extending upwardly from said bracket and coacting with the aforesaid contact, a dodger secured to said armature, a pendulum having a shaft supported by said bracket and engaged by said dodger, a terminal contact insulated from its support and connected with the electrical source of power normally engaging said spring contact and through the latter electrically connected with the swinging contact, a pair of contacts brought together by the rolling of said shafts and momentarily connected with said terminal, an electric circuit including said magnets and contacts, and an escapement mechanism operated by said pendulum.

10. In a clock movement, a base, electromagnets mounted on said base and a coacting armature pivoted thereunder, a bracket secured to said base and having an outstanding lug and laterally extending arms, a pair of electric spring contacts from said lug, a dog pivoted to one of said arms and having a pin therefrom resting on the upper of said contacts, a pawl pivotally secured to one of said arms, an escapement wheel engaged by said pawl, a pendulum having a shaft rolling on said arms and on to said dog, a dodger engaging said shaft from said armature, an electric pivoted contact engaged by said armature, and an electric circuit including said magnets and said con tacts and suitably energized.

11. In a device of the class described, a

pendulum formed of upwardly and down- Signed at the city of Montreal, Province Wardly extending arms Weighted at their eX- of Quebec, Canada, this thirtieth day of tremities and mounted respectively at the October, 1913.

ends of a central shaft, said shaft having JOSEPH LEMIRE. circumferential grooves and adapted to roll lVitnesses:

on suitable rails, and means for automati- THOMAS DORIAN,

cally maintaining the roll of said shaft. JOHN J. MGGEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

